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Dr. Julien Saunière's quest to catch his friend's murderer concludes with the discovery of a secret society dedicated to protecting the mystery of the Holy Grail. Now in pursuit of the Grail, Julien has been betrayed by his lover and hunted by the Inquisition, and witnessed slaughters and miracles in a wild mountain valley owned by the power-mad Duke of Lorraine. Collects Rex Mundi Volumes 4–6.

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More About the Author

Arvid Nelson worked on a couple of films after college, ranging from Woody Allen's Small Time Crooks to Troma Productions' The Toxic Avenger Part IV. As much as he enjoyed fetching coffee and sleeping in rat-infested warehouses, he decided to drop out and write comics, and he hasn't looked back.

Ten years later, he's finally delivered the coup de grâce to Rex Mundi, his first published work, as well as Zero Killer, another comic he's been working on for a Really Long Time. He's written for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.

Arvid lives in Northampton, Massachusetts, with a loving wife and a large television. He enjoys lifting weights and writing about himself in the third person. His next big project is a young adult fantasy novel based on his love of Scandinavian and Celtic mythology, and heavy metal music. You can get in touch with him at arvidland.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

And by unbelievable, I mean truly fantastic. I had bought part 1 in the original single issues, and my lcbs had stopped carrying it about where vol 2 begins. The art was breathtaking, and the story was an alternate universe romp that could have happened here. There aren't enough words to praise this volume. I highly recommend this book. dianefromcarroll@yahoo.com

It's been my experience, as a fan of comic books, that Dark Horse publishes some of the best works in comics today. Arvid Nelson's Rex Mundi is no exception. If you're looking for a beautiful work of art that blends horror and mystery with historical fiction, then this will be one of the greatest reads that you will come across. I can point to this book as one of my favorite comic books series of all time. I count it as being greater than any of Alan Moore's books for entertainment value.

I first read Rex Mundi a long time ago after a friend sent me the first few issues. I ended up buying the rest and following it from its original Image run into Dark Horse. The first volume of the story is one of the most interesting dieselpunk alternate history pieces I've ever read and its use of Illuminati tropes combined with the Merovingian mythology of the Dark Ages is beautiful. Everyone should buy this!

Picking up on what I was saying about the first Omnibus, not sure if the switch-up in artists was intentional, but it works, in a weird way, since the story shifts into more of a two-fisted adventure. And some awesome twists came at end, which I honestly did not see coming! Arvid Nelson digs deep into the intrigue, every "resolution" leading you further down the rabbit hole. Again, I really love it.

Much as I said when reviewing the first volume of the omnibus, I bought my first Rex Mundi comic around 2003 and was instantly hooked on both the story and the art. A murder mystery in a slightly alternate 20th century? Sign me up. Highly creative. A wonderful read. I have recommended Rex Mundi to friends with more advanced tastes -- some of whom don't even read comics -- and they've all loved it.

I couldn't wait until the second volume came out -- and it didn't disappoint. Everything that I liked in Volume 1: great story line, fascinating alternative history, and an interesting mystery! I recommend Rex Mundi to all everyone, even those (like me) who haven't read a graphic novel or comic book in years, since good writing is good writing no matter what the format!

Rex Mundi - In Latin it means King Of The World.It's Latin enough to sound mysterious, maybe esoteric, shrouded in conspiracy... BUTAs a graphic novel of fine intrigue & fantastic alternate history created in a beautiful mind called Arvid Nelson, what Rex Mundi definitely is a compendium of Man & his eternal struggle to attain a status of vain divinity against the backdrop of a downright thriller & a sublime story of love...The story revolves around Europe from an alternate Historical perspective that portrays the fascist state of France (GASP!!!) aching to spar with Muslim Spain (Aye, the Moors are the victors!!!) & declaring its open intent of French hegemony. & there is a murder mystery & political intrigue & conspiracies that involves a quest for the Holy Grail & the Inquisitors (Aye, the Inquisition is still on...) & their insidious plans to grab power. Oh, there is no Protestant Reformation because of the vicious Machiavellian plans of the all powerful Catholic Church. Kinda Fatherland meets Pax Romania....& this alternate version of Europe is resplendent with Magic. Aye, Magic is alive & thriving. & there is a concept of inherited divinity (Think of the Merovingian Kings)...Without giving away the heart of the story, Rex Mundi evolves from a fantastic thriller of political intrigue proportions to something much deeper. For me it was the concept of divinity, so startlingly different as portrayed by Arvid Nelson. Never have I come across such a graphic novel of static images that have the power to invoke a rich tapestry of emotions within me from adrenaline of the thriller to helplessness in face of political intrigue to deep seated empathy directed at the protagonists & the antagonists of Rex Mundi.Read more ›

Please take the time to browse through the many great reviews describing the intricate and engrossing story. If you are a fan of alternative histories, lush visuals, mysteries, conspiracies and the Holy Grail, the appeal should be immediate.

I would like to put that all aside and describe the reading experience I had while having the opportunity to read Rex Mundi as it came out monthly years ago.To call it a page turner would not give the story justice. It is a page burner. The anticipation waiting for a new issue to come out and to witness the story unfold and grow was unbearable. This is one of those graphic works of art that burns into your mind as you read it. It is an experience in itself that will touch you and challenge you as the story unfolds. This story and universe leaves a mark on you. At the conclusion you will be both joyful of the opportunity of living with this universe, but you will also be sad. Sad that it is over. Sad there isn’t any more.

Every once and awhile, a piece of graphic storytelling will rise to the top and show what the medium is truly capable of. This is one those gems. The story will grab you by the throat as characters navigate themselves through the many deep hidden secrets in their quest for answers. I was both challenged by this world and completely engulfed with glee with each page turn as the story went in strange and wondrous directions. This is not a “by the numbers” book by any means.

Now that Rex Mundi is collected into 2 Omnibus editions, you are all the lucky ones. You get the opportunity to immerse yourselves in this extremely detailed universe without having to wait years for the monthly issues to come out. More than likely, you will try to read this is one very long sitting (or at least I would). Be fully prepared to either buy both Omnibuses at the same time, or have to endure the agony of waiting for the second Omnibus.